Seven 40 Seven

I recieved a copy of the self titled record from a good friend who saw one of your shows at a Southern California venue while he was on vacation. One of your singers gave him a free disk because he liked the band, which was very cool. At first I was very hesitant to listen because the quality of rock these days is seriously lacking. When I finally got around to listening it was like a breath of fresh air. It felt like Christmas had come early to NYC. This CD is the real deal Rock N Roll, and this band has the complete package great vocals, good lyrics, shreading guitars driving bass and heavy drums. The blend of musical styles was a very interesting, unique and refreshing combination. I especially enjoyed the Bauhaus cover. I will keep a look out for this band if they are ever on the east coast. I am glad to say there is something good coming out of SoCal. Keep Rockin and Rollin Seven 40 Seven.
- Reviewer: Jam @ Rock Talk Magazine

SEVEN 40 SEVEN HAS LANDED
by Joshua Escandon
A hard-rock indie band with pure California style!


I generally like to feature quality indie groups and offer them exposure to our more than two million readers. The record industry is so difficult to break into, and the sad part about it is that most artists signed to major labels never amount to much success. It's the few groups that do make it to stardom and financial success that support the rest of the label and its distribution system. But I believe the public as a whole enjoys great music, even if it comes from a nontraditional artist. A lot of credit goes to shows such as American Idol, which have showcased talent that couldn't have made it without their huge national platform. Certainly Taylor Hicks, Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard and Fantasia Barrino are not traditional acts that labels would have jumped to sign. The one thing they all had in common was incredible musical talent! So my effort in promoting talented independent artists is what This Month In Music has always been about, along with recommending a variety of great CDs that you might be overlooking.
The members of Seven 40 Seven have been playing together for the past few years, and they make quite an impression wherever they perform. The sound is raw, Led Zeppelin-like, hard-rock punkabilly, with two guitarists, a hard-hitting drummer and a very talented bassist. Catchy hooks weave unique and traditional rock together in pure California style. I caught up with Seven 40 Seven frontman Tino Franco for an interview.

TMIM: How did you come up with the name Seven 40 Seven?
Franco: When we were first forming out of another group, one of our previous band members was always late. So I used to page him with the code "747" so he would show up early for practice, which was at 8 p.m. The code eventually became our name. I thought it was a good choice not only for our large sound.

TMIM: How would you describe Seven 40 Seven's style?
Franco: We are definitely rooted in classic rock with a bit of punk alternative. However, we like to keep our musical landscape open and keep a true artistic form when it comes to developing songs within any style.

TMIM: I'd say your music has captured the California rock sound. Do you agree?
Franco: I would say that's pretty accurate. We all grew up out here and have similar influences, which is reflected quite a bit in our music—bands such as Led Zeppelin, definitely, and The Beatles, Jane's Addiction, Bad Company, Minor Threat and Black Flag, for sure. Echo and the Bunnymen, Reverend Horton Heat, Johnny Cash, Black Sabbath…there are so many great bands that have helped shape our sound. You get the idea, though.

TMIM: How many albums do you guys have?
Franco: We have tons of songs written and quite a few recorded sessions. We had an unofficial album called Nothing Heavy, but our first self-titled official release, Seven 40 Seven, is due out this summer.

TMIM: Who are the other members of your group and what are their roles and playing styles?
Franco: I'm the lead guitarist and share vocal lead with my brother, Danny Franco. Danny also plays rhythm guitar. There's Dar Larizadeh on some heavy-hitting drums and Rob Graver, who is a terrific bass player and backs up on vocals.

TMIM: As the lead guitar player, who is your role model?
Franco: Jimmy Page, definitely! He has a way of taking you to different places with each turn of the chord, and he was always open to different guitar-playing styles, from blues to bluegrass to heavy rock, and even classical music.

TMIM: Where can we check out some of your music and find out about future shows?
Franco: We're currently preparing for our official launch, so everything is still in development. Our website is seven40seven.com, which, for now, will redirect you to our myspace page at myspace.com/seven40seven until our album release in late summer.

TMIM: Thanks for your time, and we look forward to seeing you live.
Franco: Thanks! Look forward to seeing you there.





- This Month In Music / Malibu Magazine Nov 2006 issue